


Before the Ashes Cool

by americanhoney913



Series: Inktober 2019 [12]
Category: World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Alternate Universe - Roman Empire, Day 13, F/F, Inktober 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-14
Updated: 2019-10-14
Packaged: 2020-12-15 22:04:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21025451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/americanhoney913/pseuds/americanhoney913
Summary: InktoberDay 13: AshLong after the fire burns down, she stares at the ashes, tears coursing down her cheeks.





	Before the Ashes Cool

**Author's Note:**

> Fun little Roman Empire AU fic. The old emperor died and now Charlotte must take over.

Long after the fire burns down, she stares at the ashes, tears coursing down her cheeks. She feels a hand slide into hers and she squeezes it. Her whole world smells of ash and smoke and death.

“He was a good man, Empress.” Charlotte hears the small voice behind her speak up. She turns to find her personal slave, the woman she saved from the gladiator ring. “He’ll be missed. Changed a lot for this empire, he did.”

The blonde chuckles and fixes the folds of her robe. The two of them stand there until the sun begins to set. There are other slaves, waiting on the sidelines, ready with shovels to scoop up the ashes. They wait respectfully, heads bowed.

“Will you be wantin’ your things moved to the emperor’s chambers?” the redhead asks, tugging at one of the thin straps on her tunic.

Charlotte surges forward and grabs Becky by the throat. Sure, she’s a good slave: strong in both body and mind, willing to do whatever Charlotte asks, able to fight with any weapon handed to her. However, the downside to getting a slave straight from the gladiator arena, one that came from a resistant nation on the far islands, was how  _ mouthy _ she was. The Feral Warrior, they called her in the ring. She killed lions and tigers and anything thrown at her, covered in the blood of those gladiators thrown in her path.

“My father’s ashes have barely cooled, my brother's corpse dragged behind the chariot of my enemy.” She snarls and her grip tightens. Becky’s gaze doesn’t change, but Charlotte can feel her swallowing against her palm. “How  _ dare _ you ask me that?”

Becky doesn’t move, doesn’t say anything. Her face turns red, but she’s stubborn and refuses to claw at Charlotte’s hands. Charlotte could probably kill her and the stubborn, feral woman wouldn’t react.

“Mistress?” Another slave comes up behind her. She lets Becky go, hearing the woman gulp down air, and looks down at the short slave. This one is very short with cropped blonde hair pulled up in a circlet braid, blue eyes solemn. “The senators are waiting for you in the atrium.”

Charlotte nods and waves her off. The slaves standing in the back courtyard, against the stable walls, come forward when the blonde reaches them, and they begin to gather the ashes into amphorae to bring to Charlotte’s family tomb. The short slave directed some of the amphorae to be left empty, in hopes that Reid’s killer would bring his body back out of respect for the empire.

Becky stands at attention as Charlotte sweeps her purple sash over her shoulder and straightens the diadem on her head, the one with gold laurel leaves around the side, a sapphire set into the center. She puts her hand on her dagger as she takes her place, on Charlotte’s right and three steps behind. Charlotte thinks she looks like an Amazon with hellfire hair.

“Empress,” Becky says, her voice scratchy, “may your reign always be fruitful.” She extends her left fist and brings it to her chest, bowing her head. The blonde roll her eyes while she’s not facing Becky and she steps with purpose towards the future of the Roman empire.

**Author's Note:**

> Well, this was fun. I had to research shit and now I know more about different Roman burials than I need to know.
> 
> Let me know what you guys think!
> 
> Tomorrow: Overgrown


End file.
